One day, a reserve officer from the department bought him breakfast. “They sat and chatted about life. The officer found out he lost his home in a fire. He’s going through a season of life that’s challenging,” Deputy Chief of Police Gary Woodruff told InsideEdition.com.

When they finished their breakfast, the officer asked him if there’s anything he really needed. “The gentleman showed the officer his shoes. The soles were completely blown out; they looked almost like flip-flops,” said Deputy Woodruff.

“The gentleman told the officer, ‘It’s winter and it’s been really cold. I could really use a new pair of shoes. The problem is, I’m a size 17,’” said the deputy.